Coleman up to challenge of Food Network show

LINDA WOODS Executive Editor

Monday

Dec 20, 2010 at 12:01 AMDec 20, 2010 at 7:12 PM

Being selected to appear on a popular network television show is an honor - isn't it?

That question was carefully weighed by former Cuba resident Georgann Coleman when she first received a call from the Food Network informing her she had been selected to compete in their show, "Worst Cook's in America." Coleman was nominated by family member Teresa McCauley.

Coleman, now a Chicago, Ill. resident, explains she was not thrilled at first, but eventually decided participating in the competition was a wonderful opportunity and could only help her improve on her slightly lacking culinary skills.

Being selected to appear on a popular network television show is an honor - isn't it?
That question was carefully weighed by former Cuba resident Georgann Coleman when she first received a call from the Food Network informing her she had been selected to compete in their show, "Worst Cook's in America." Coleman was nominated by family member Teresa McCauley.
Coleman, now a Chicago, Ill. resident, explains she was not thrilled at first, but eventually decided participating in the competition was a wonderful opportunity and could only help her improve on her slightly lacking culinary skills.
The first interview process was conducted at a Chicago hotel and Coleman was asked to prepare a dish which was familiar to her.
She decided on a dish she had often prepared for herself - Turkeyburger Hash. She served the dish with mixed sauteed vegetables and added her favorite ingredient - soy sauce. Coleman explains she likes the dish and thought it was a good one to offer to the chefs.
After the chefs refused to taste the dish (saying it looked like pet food), Coleman says that didn't stop her from eating it for lunch in the car on the way home from the competition.
Her creation did net her another audition, however.
On that try, Coleman was asked to create a dish from "scratch."
She decided on a potluck dish she had recently tasted at a party. The dish consisted of turkey and oatmeal meatballs and spaghetti.
The night before that competition Coleman explains she banned her family from the kitchen for about six hours as she worked to refine her preparation skills.
When the meal was presented to the chefs, she was told the oatmeal belongs in the meatballs - not rolled onto the exterior. Her dish was served with kale on the side and sprinkled with almonds - which is an ingredient she uses regularly with her creations.
That audition qualified her for the show.
At that point, Coleman was asked to create a home video and supply it to the producers of the show. Coleman explains the video included a multitude of kitchen appliances which sit unused on kitchen shelves in her home.
The audition process began in April and was complete by May. Coleman left for New York in June where filming took about 4 and a half weeks.
Coleman says that having to be away from her family - especially her daughter, 2-year-old Quinn - was an experience in itself.
Coleman, and the other candidates, stayed in a hotel and were not allowed to communicate with their families, or with anyone. "The whole process was life changing," she reports.
All of the contestants shared living quarters and Coleman says she never imagined having to live with strangers.
Coleman says that through the experience she has learned a lot about herself and about cooking. "I made some close connections," says Coleman of her experience in New York.
"Cooking involves passion, thinking about others, and refining your tastes," she explains.
She says her fear of cooking is lessened and now she has more confidence in her skills.
"Now, I share cooking with my family. It is a whole new world."
Her favorite recipe is the French Omelet which she learned to create while on the show. Coleman serves the omelets to family and guests and always allows them to select their own ingredients.
Coleman says she grew up on really good cooking. "I come from a farming family. I guess learning to cook just wasn't on my radar then, but now I have a second chance."
Coleman says her grandmother was on her mind through the entire process and she came to realize, "If I can learn to cook - everyone can learn. Grandma would be proud of me."
Coleman is a graduate of Cuba High School, Milliken University in Decatur, Ill., and received her graduate degree at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. She is employed as a speech and language pathologist for Chicago Public Schools.
Coleman and her family Teresa McCauley, daughter Quinn, and Rocko their dog, reside in Chicago. Her parents are Alan and Daryle Coleman of Cuba.

About the show
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Sixteen of the country’s most hopeless cooks attempt to transform from kitchen zeros into kitchen heroes as they compete in a grueling culinary boot camp on season two of Food Network’s primetime reality series, Worst Cooks in America.
With a season one victory under her belt, Chef Anne Burrell (Secrets of a Restaurant Chef) returns to lead the red team to repeat success, but one obstacle stands in the way:
Chef Robert Irvine (Dinner: Impossible) brings his unparalleled expertise in conquering culinary obstacles to the competition as the show’s new co-host determined to overthrow Anne’s reign with a blue team win.
The eight-week competition premieres Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011, at 9pm ET/PT as the “recruits” – nominated by family and friends for their abysmal cooking skills – are split into two teams chosen by the opposing chef.
In each one-hour episode, the recruits put to use the techniques they learn from their chefs in two high-pressure tests: a Skill Drill and a Main Dish Challenge. The worst cook from each team is eliminated at the end of the episode based on performance and progress.
Eliminations continue on each episode.
On the Jan. 9, 2011 episode, contestants are awakened by a live chicken in their penthouse. The 14 remaining recruits prepare the perfect omelet.
On the Jan. 16, 2011 episode, recruits work to win the honor of "top taste buds."
On the Jan 23, 2011 episode, contestants compete in a burger grilling Skill Drill.
On Jan. 30, 2011, a midterm is given. The teams work to unscramble a recipe and cook the dish.
By the Feb. 6, 2011 episode only six recruits remain. Their mission is to conquer intimidating ingredients.
The Feb. 13, 2011 episode pits the final four contestants in a "Culinary Decathlon."
In the season finale on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2011, at 9pm ET/PT, the final two recruits must prepare a three-course, restaurant-quality meal for a panel of culinary experts (Donatella Arpaia, Marc Murphy and Drew Nieporent). On the line are the chefs’ professional reputations and $25,000 for the newly-crowned kitchen hero.
“Worst Cooks in America merged high-stakes competition with high comedy and became an instant viewer favorite in season one as evident by its place as the highest-rated series premiere in network history,” said Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Senior Vice President, Programming & Production.
“Having two of the toughest chefs on television – Anne Burrell and Robert Irvine – face off against each other this year raises the competition to a new level.”

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